I know a lot of people who say, "I reluctantly watched the first episode because I don't really like zombies and that stuff, but I was pleasantly surprised by the characters and the drama of it all." I think that's what keeps people coming back and brings new watchers to the show. What the show does is cross many, many different viewerships.
Steven YeunI remember the first day I got there, they started the take and after four takes I was on the ground, on my back, with a banana and a Twizzler in my hand, and my face was green, and they said, "You can't get back on set for another 30 minutes." That was a, "Welcome to Atlanta," and that put everything in perspective.
Steven YeunIt was my freshman year. I was living across the hall from a girl named Kasey Klepper, whose brother, Jordan Klepper, used to be a big part of Kalamazoo's improv team. Kasey took me to see one of their shows, and my face melted off. I thought, I need to do this... I auditioned, but didn't make the team. So, I took my first acting class, and it opened my eyes to a whole new world. I'd always been interested in performing on some level, but now, I was going to do it. I tried out again and got onto the team, and from then on, I was sucked into the whole theater scene.
Steven YeunThe biggest challenges are in the same vein. It's about retaining all that stuff. Also, the physical stuff is not as easy as we originally thought. I play a lot of sports and I remember saying, "Oh, I'll be fine, running around or doing anything."
Steven YeunPeople think that Detroit is this barren wasteland. While there are parts that are not as nice as others, the misconception is not true. It is definitely not a thriving community in Detroit, but it is getting there. There is a lot of heart and love in this city.
Steven YeunI was a psych major in college and I actually owned two white lab rats. I had to train them and I took them home so that's just kind of missing for me.
Steven YeunYou can say that all you want, but even in the little time that I've been in this industry, I've learned that it isn't exactly what you expect, so you've got to have a level head. I thought people would dig it. I thought people would enjoy it. It's AMC. I thought people would be fans. But, I did not think we would be the best new show on television.
Steven Yeun